Decisive Killing

Not only Ding Hai and the other three, but Qin Yu, Wang Teng, and Zhang Sheng all wore expressions of shock.

Qin Yu in particular recognized at a glance that the Fierce Tiger Fist and Eight Trigram Palm Lu Ren had just used had both been cultivated to perfection.

Any martial technique required far more than talent to reach perfection—it demanded an enormous amount of time.

How had Lu Ren, who had only entered the sect two months ago, managed it?

"Kid, this is a private matter between Qin Yu and me. I advise you not to meddle. My Ding Family is not something you can afford to provoke!"

Ding Hai glared coldly at Lu Ren.

Yet Lu Ren walked over and planted a foot on his chest.

Crack!

With a sharp crack, Ding Hai's breastbone was crushed beneath his foot. Blood spattered out, and he was dead beyond any doubt.

After dealing with Ding Hai, Lu Ren turned to the other three.

The three Imperial Dao Sect disciples watched in terror, their entire bodies trembling.

"Senior Brother Ding Hai... is dead! He was killed by him!"

One of the disciples cried out in horror.

He had never imagined that Lu Ren would dare to kill—and kill so decisively.

But when they saw Lu Ren approaching with killing intent written across his face, they immediately dropped to their knees and began begging frantically for mercy.

Before they could finish speaking, however—

Lu Ren kicked out three times in quick succession, sending all three flying. They crashed heavily to the ground, already devoid of life.

Wang Teng and Zhang Sheng were stunned by the sight. Though it was common for sect disciples to slaughter one another, witnessing Lu Ren kill four disciples with their own eyes—the bloody scene—was difficult for them to accept for the moment.

Qin Yu did not feel the same way. She had killed quite a few disciples from other sects herself. Even if Lu Ren had not done it, she would have personally killed the four.

Lu Ren searched Ding Hai's body and quickly found a bottle. He tossed it directly to Qin Yu. "Senior Sister, this should be the antidote!"

"Thanks!"

Qin Yu caught the bottle and thanked him weakly.

Lu Ren nodded, then helped Wang Teng to his feet. "Senior Brother Wang Teng, are you all right?"

"I am very much not all right!"

Wang Teng covered his swollen face and complained, "You're so strong, yet you didn't make a move earlier. Now my handsome face can no longer be preserved!"

"Let's leave this place first!"

After taking the antidote, Qin Yu regained some of her strength and headed in one direction.

Lu Ren and Zhang Sheng supported Wang Teng as they followed behind her.

Half an hour later!

The four of them rested in an open area.

Qin Yu sat beneath an ancient tree and finally let out a breath of relief. At the same time, she was deeply shocked. Lu Ren had killed four Imperial Dao Sect disciples who had each opened six Spiritual Apertures all by himself. Such combat strength was truly terrifying.

Moreover, she could tell that Lu Ren had also opened six Spiritual Apertures. If it had been her, she might have been able to do it, but she certainly could not have done it as easily as Lu Ren.

"Junior Brother Lu Ren, I, Qin Yu, owe you one for today!"

Qin Yu said with a serious expression.

If Lu Ren had not stepped in today, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

If Ding Hai had truly defiled her, Wang Teng and Zhang Sheng would certainly not have survived either. Given Ding Hai's way of doing things, he would absolutely have killed them to silence them.

Lu Ren neither confirmed nor denied it, merely smiling faintly.

Since coming to this world, he had killed someone once before. He understood the rules of this world well: mercy toward an enemy was cruelty toward oneself.

If he had not killed Ding Hai and the other three, there would have been endless trouble later.

"I hope all of you can keep Ding Hai's matter a secret. If the Ding Family truly investigates and finds out, I will take all the blame myself. It will have nothing to do with Junior Brother Lu Ren!"

Qin Yu continued.

Wang Teng patted his chest. "Senior Sister, don't worry. Ding Hai got what he deserved. We don't know anything!"

"Same here!"

Zhang Sheng echoed.

Lu Ren said nothing more. Besides, he possessed a Scrap Bloodline. Even if the Ding Family truly investigated, they likely would not believe that he had done it.

What was more, the Ding Family would most likely never suspect them in the first place.

This was Black Tiger Ridge. Every year, countless sect disciples died here.

Qin Yu looked at Lu Ren and could not help asking, "Junior Brother Lu Ren, I actually have a question!"

Lu Ren smiled. "You want to ask how I cultivated the Fierce Tiger Fist and Eight Trigram Palm to perfection?"

Qin Yu nodded.

"Actually, I practiced these two fist techniques from childhood, but I was never able to reach perfection. Later, I received a blessing from an immortal, and only then did I cultivate them to perfection!"

Naturally, Qin Yu did not believe Lu Ren's explanation. With a Scrap Bloodline, no matter how much one practiced, it was useless.

However, since Lu Ren was unwilling to say more, she naturally would not press him.

Once Qin Yu sensed that the strength in her body had completely recovered, she said, "I've already gathered the Hundred Aperture Grass. Time is of the essence. Let's head back!"

"Fine, let's go back!"

On the way back, Lu Ren and the other three naturally encountered quite a few first-rank Monstrous Beasts.

This time, Lu Ren told Qin Yu not to act, choosing to fight them himself.

Though Lu Ren had just killed four people, humans and Monstrous Beasts were entirely different.

Along the way, relying on his perfected Fierce Tiger Fist and perfected Eight Trigram Palm, Lu Ren killed more than a dozen Monstrous Beasts. His practical combat ability also grew stronger and stronger.

It could be said that during this trial, Lu Ren's combat strength had increased by at least twofold.

Boom!

At that moment, Lu Ren was fighting an Emerald Scale Giant Snake.

Wang Teng, Zhang Sheng, and Qin Yu watched from the side.

Wang Teng and Zhang Sheng stood together, while Qin Yu stood apart from them.

Seeing the faint smile in Qin Yu's gaze as she looked at Lu Ren, Wang Teng said in surprise, "Zhang Sheng, did you see that? Senior Sister Qin Yu actually smiled. She smiled while looking at Junior Brother Lu Ren!"

"You're right. The way Senior Sister Qin Yu looks at Junior Brother Lu Ren has clearly changed. Could it be because Junior Brother Lu Ren saved her that she has taken a liking to him?"

"Shh, don't spout nonsense about such things. If Senior Sister Qin Yu hears us, neither of us will have a good ending!"

When Wang Teng saw Lu Ren kill the Emerald Scale Giant Snake, he immediately ran over to start cleaning up the battlefield.

However, just as Wang Teng was about to approach, a massive water arrow shot through the air from afar, streaking toward Lu Ren.

"Junior Brother Lu Ren, be careful!"

Qin Yu's warning had barely reached Lu Ren's ears when he saw the water arrow blasting toward his back.

Lu Ren leaned backward and flipped several times in succession, narrowly evading the water arrow.

Whoosh!

The water arrow missed, pierced through the air, and directly bored through a massive tree beside Lu Ren.

Before the four could recover their senses, an overwhelming stench-laden wind rushed at them. A giant snake thicker than a water barrel shot toward them from afar.

The giant snake was over a dozen zhang long, its entire body covered in emerald-green scales. Every scale was as large as a palm, and a dragon horn grew from its head.

Its pair of venomous snake eyes stared viciously at the four of them as it continuously let out furious roars.

Seeing the giant snake, Wang Teng cried out in terror, "It's... it's the Emerald Scale Snake King!"

"What? The Emerald Scale Snake King?"

Zhang Sheng was completely terrified. This was a first-rank Monstrous Beast King. Even a Martial Artist at the first level of the Spirit Stream Realm could only tuck their tail between their legs and flee before the Emerald Scale Snake King.

Who could have imagined that they would be targeted by the Emerald Scale Snake King on the outskirts of Black Tiger Ridge?

Lu Ren's expression turned grave as he looked at the Emerald Scale Snake King. It was likely enraged because he had killed its offspring.

"It has a dragon horn growing on its head. It is no longer truly a snake—it is about to transform into a flood dragon!"

A trace of delight appeared on Qin Yu's beautiful face. "It must have consumed Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures to transform like this. Junior Brother Lu Ren, let's join forces and kill it. We'll split the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures evenly between us. What do you say?"

"Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures?"

Lu Ren also revealed an excited expression.

Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures were exceedingly valuable.

If they could be used, they could increase one's strength. Even if they could not be used, they could still be sold for a good price.